Fido's Summer Bucket List

Posted by Billy Francis

If you and your adventurous pup are itching to try something new this summer, consider exploring a cave, visiting an amusement park, or spending a weekend at summer camp. These unique, unforgettable activities are perfect for summer days with Fido. Keep it cool with your canine when you check these pet-friendly adventures off his bucket list.

Dock Dive into a Pool “Pawty”

"Water, water everywhere, so I’m going to take a dip.” Photo by Facebook.com/SplashBarkSDK

The Splash Bark by SDK is a wet and wild day out for dogs. If you can’t jet off on a pet-friendly tropical vacation, the most dog-friendly attraction in South Dakota is the next best thing. The pool, decorated with palm trees and beach balls that squirt water, is only three inches deep, allowing every dog to enjoy a day of splashing. For those who want to try deeper waters, join in the fun at a splashin’ pool pawty like Doggy Swim Day in Bedford, TX. Leaping Labs can plunge into the pool and take part in awesome contests. Or, stay dry and watch high-flying hounds launch themselves into the deep at Dock Dogs at The Showroom Summer Splash in Danville, KY. If you need a spot where the whole family can cool off, spend your summer vacation in a pet-friendly rental with a pool.

Visit a Pet-Friendly Amusement Park

“My turn next!” Photo by Melissa Halliburton

If he’s always dreamed of roller coasters, popcorn and ice cream, take your four-legged thrill seeker to a pet-friendly amusement park. Located in Elysburg, PA, Knoebels Amusement Resort is a summer adventure for the whole pack. Dogs aren’t allowed on the bigger rides, but your pup can check out the whiteknuckle action from the pet-friendly train that passes underneath the Twister Roller Coaster. Fido can also ride shotgun in an antique automobile or hop on the historic carousel built in 1913. Visit the park at the tail end of summer and enjoy free rein of the pool during Knoebels Doggie Dive. “Paw-leontologists” might prefer a day out at Dinosaur World, which has locations in Texas, Kentucky and Florida. And four-legged history buffs can walk the wooden sidewalks at Lagoon Park in Farmington, UT.

Cruise with your Pooch

“Tempted…” Photo by @kris8vermont

Cruising the coast with your Corgi is guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience. Planning a summer trip to the Florida Keys? Reserve a spot on a dog-friendly eco-charter with Captain Sheri's Wild About Dolphins. Captain Sheri will take you and your pooch to the island’s dolphin playground and a sandbar that Fido will really dig. If you’re on the West Coast, Fun Zone Boat Company offers three different pet-friendly cruises that depart from Newport Beach, including an option to see native sea lions and migrating gray whales, and peek into the lives of the rich and famous from the water. For the most extravagant voyage of all, experience a once-in-a-lifetime transatlantic voyage to England with your best friend on board the Queen Mary II.

Cool Off in a Cave

“At first I didn’t want to come, but then I caved…” Photo by April Turner

With a natural temperature of 60 degrees year-round, beat the summer heat at Fantastic Caverns in Springfield, MO. Discovered by a farmer’s dog in 1862, the massive cave has been used by bootleggers as a speakeasy and casino, and as an underground auditorium by country greats like Buck Owens. Today, your dog can ‘mark his territory’ on America’s only Jeep-drawn cave tour. Or, stop by War Eagle Cavern on Beaver Lake in Rogers, AR and join a pet-friendly walking tour. The excursion begins just outside the trading post and follows a leisurely route along the bluff of Beaver Lake to the cavern entrance. Your guide will make sure you don’t get lost in the caves over the hour-long tour. Outbound hounds can embark on a hike followed by a self-guided tour of Old Man’s Cave in Logan, OH.

Summer Camp

"Cannonball!" Photo by Facebook.com/CampUnleashed

Bark camp songs and bond with your best friend at a dog-friendly summer camp. While it may start out as a bucket list adventure, Fido will end up begging to come back every year. Camp Gone to the Dogs overlooks Mount Mansfield in Marlboro, VT. It's the first camp that officially invited dogs to join their owners. Expert dog trainers lead agility, obedience and behavior classes, and campers can also make their own leash, paint a “pawtrait” or tie-dye a shirt for their dog. Camp Unleashed-Berkshires in Beckett, MA boasts an idyllic location around a 100-acre spring-fed pond. Water activities include doggy paddling, dock diving, and a game in which dogs stand on platforms in the water and retrieve items.

Hit a Home Run with your Best Friend

“This place is a grand slam on game day.” Photo by BringFido

Does your canine catcher love watching balls fly through the sky? Attend America’s pastime together and check another unique activity off Fido’s summer bucket list. Baseball fans can get their fix at dog-friendly events like Bark in the Park with the Worcester Red Sox, where a pregame doggie parade, vendors with cool giveaways, and much more are scheduled for your pup’s entertainment. Or, catch Dog Day at the Park at Louisville Slugger Field, which donates a portion of each dog ticket sold to Kentucky Humane Society. Keep an eye on BringFido’s events page for more pet-friendly sports events this summer.

Book an Unforgettable Airbnb

“He’s smiling now, but he hasn’t seen my paws yet.” Photo by Airbnb

Summer vacations with our nearest and dearest make memories that last a lifetime, so why not go all out when reserving a pet-friendly Airbnb? Book a unique stay like a houseboat, treehouse or hobbit home, or give RVing a try in a pet-friendly home on wheels. You can also pamper your pooch with a vacation inside a mansion castle with a luxury Airbnb. Remember, bucket list trips don’t need to break the bank. Stay in an Alaskan dome or on a dog-centric organic farm, both available for pet travelers on a budget.

If you’re looking for an unforgettable activity while you’re on vacation or want to try something new closer to home, reserve an Airbnb Experience this summer. From exploring on land with a Vespa tour of San Francisco or walking tour of Denver to adventures on water like a sailing tour of New York and a paddleboard tour of Fort Lauderdale with a Corgi, there’s a bucket list adventure for every Alsatian’s tastes with Airbnb Experiences.

What’s your favorite pet-friendly summer activity? Leave a comment or tweet us @BringFido!

Banner photo by Facebook.com/PetParadiseResort.